Rain hat for heavy construction equipment

ABSTRACT

A rain hat for heavy construction equipment is disclosed, which comprises a plate which corresponds to a shape of an outlet of the exhaust tube; a connection part which is formed at one end of the plate and is extended in a downward direction; and an elastic plate of which one end is connected with the connection part, and the other end is engaged with the exhaust tube, said elastic plate having a certain length, whereby the outlet of the exhaust tube, which is closed by means of the plate, opens as a discharge pressure overcomes an elastic force of the elastic plate when exhaust gas is discharged from the exhaust tube.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority from Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2006-65745, filed on Jul. 13, 2006 in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a rain hat attached to an exhaust tubeof an engine.

2. Description of the Background Art

Heavy construction equipment is equipped with an exhaust tube whichexhausts gas. Exhaust gas is exhausted via an exhaust tube. Here, theexhaust tube is engaged at an upper swing structure of the equipment.Since an upper swing structure of heavy construction equipment swings inthe course of work, the exhaust tube is generally engaged at an upperswing structure so that any interference does not occur with wheels,etc.

Since the exhaust tube is engaged at the upper swing structure and isvertically installed, the exhaust tube needs a cover on an upper end ofthe vertically installed exhaust tube. Otherwise, rain may fall into theexhaust tube. Some heavy construction equipment are equipped with animproved exhaust tube of which upper end is horizontally bent so thatrain does not fall into the exhaust tube. In case of large size heavyconstruction equipment, a rain hat is generally provided for preventingrain from falling into the exhaust tube.

In case of conventional heavy construction equipment which is providedwith a rain hat, rattling noises may occur from the rain hat. When therevolution of an engine is low, the discharge force of exhaust gas isweak, so that the rain hat should be installed at a relatively lowerside. In case that an engine works, since exhaust gas is dischargedwhenever one cycle of the engine finishes, the gas discharge pressure ofthe exhaust tube is not constant.

In case of a rain hat which is installed at a conventional heavyconstruction equipment, since the rain hat, which receives a dischargepressure of exhaust gas, is designed to operate with the help of a hingeoperation of a pin, the rain hat should freely move with a certain gapfrom a pin hole. In the conventional art, since a discharge pressure ofexhaust gas is not constant, rattling noises occur owing to a gapbetween the pin and the pin hole when the rain hat works.

So, an operator or other persons may feel uneasy when the above rattlingnoises occur for thereby causing a lot of problems in the course ofwork.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rainhat attached to an exhaust tube of an engine which is able to preventrattling noises occurring owing to a conventional rain hat, so that anoperator or other persons can feel comfortable in the course of work.

To achieve the above object, in a rain hat which is mounted on anexhaust tube of heavy construction equipment, there is provided a rainhat for heavy construction equipment which comprises a plate whichcorresponds to a shape of an outlet of the exhaust tube; a connectionpart which is formed at one end of the plate and is extended in adownward direction; and an elastic plate of which one end is connectedwith the connection part, and the other end is engaged with the exhausttube, the elastic plate having a certain length, whereby the outlet ofthe exhaust tube, which is closed by means of the plate, opens as adischarge pressure overcomes an elastic force of the elastic plate whenexhaust gas is discharged from the exhaust tube.

For an easier engagement, the rain hat of the heavy constructionequipment is formed larger than the outlet depending on the shape of theoutlet of the exhaust tube. Since too larger size rain hat does not looknice, the plate slightly larger than the size of the outlet of theexhaust is preferably used. A rectangular protrusion is formed at an endof the rain hat plate. The protrusion allows the connection part to beformed at a lower surface of the plate and to be connected with theelastic plate. So, the whole shape of the rain hat is a spoon shape.

The connection part is welded at a lower surface of the protrusion ofthe rain hat plate. The welded connection part is engaged with one endof the elastic plate in the longitudinal direction using an engagingmember by forming a bolt hole or a rivet hole for an engagement using anengaging member such as a bolt, etc. A bolt hole or a rivet hole isformed at the portion connected with the connection part of the elasticplate like the connection part.

Here, the elastic plate has a certain length. When it is too short,since the elastic coefficient of the elastic member is not large,greater pressure is needed for moving the rain hat. So, the length ofthe elastic plate is preferably determined depending on the dischargepressure of the exhaust tube. The other end of the elastic plate isconnected with the exhaust tube. Namely, it is connected with a fixingterminal, which is formed at an outer side of the exhaust tube, by usingan engaging member such as a bolt, etc. The fixing terminal may bedirectly connected with the exhaust tube based on a welding method, etc.

According to the operation principle of the present invention which usesthe elastic plate, when the discharge pressure of exhaust gas is appliedto the rain hat, a force for pushing the rain hat is generated. Momentis generated at the lower side of the elastic plate fixed at the exhausttube depending on the force which pushes the rain hat upward. Theelastic plate has a rotational force owing to the moment, so that therain hat opens. In case that the pressure decreases, it returns to itsoriginal state owing to the elastic force of the plate.

To achieve the above object, in a rain hat which is mounted on anexhaust tube of heavy construction equipment, there is provided a rainhat for heavy construction equipment which comprises a plate whichcorresponds to a shape of an outlet of the exhaust tube; a connectionpart which is formed at one end of the plate and is extended in adownward direction; a pair of coil springs of which ends are connectedwith both lower sides of the connection part; and a bracket which ismounted on the exhaust tube in which the other end of each coil springis horizontally connected, whereby the outlet of the exhaust tube, whichis closed by means of the plate, opens as a discharge pressure overcomesan elastic force of the coil spring when exhaust gas is discharged fromthe exhaust tube.

Like the above construction, a rain hat plate shaped depending on theshape of an outlet of the exhaust tube, and a rectangular protrusionintegrally formed at one end of the plate are provided, which form aspoon shaped rain hat plate. A connection part is welded at a lowersurface of the protrusion of the plate. Two holes are formed at bothlower ends of the connection part for connecting the coil spring. Aspring having a ring shaped end is engaged at the holes. The ring shapedother end of the spring is fixed at the bracket mounted on both sides ofthe exhaust tube. Two ends are vertically protruded from both sides ofthe channel shaped bracket. A fixing hole is formed at an upper side ofthe vertically formed plate.

According to the operation principle, when the discharge pressure ofexhaust gas is applied to the rain hat, the rain hat is forced to liftup. When the rain hat is lifted up, rotational force is applied to thecoil spring. The present invention does not use a pin as compared to theconventional art, even when pressure is continuously applied thereto,rattling noises do not occur. When pressure decreases, the rotationalforce of the spring allows the rain hat to be pushed and closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become better understood with reference tothe accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustrationand thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an excavator of a conventional art;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating an engine and an exhaustdevice of a conventional art;

FIG. 3 is a side and plane view illustrating a conventional rain hat;

FIG. 4 is a plane, side and rear view illustrating a rain hat accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view for describing an operation of a rain hat according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a view for describing an operation force of a rain hataccording to an embodiment of the present invention; 5 FIG. 7 is anoperation graph of a rain hat according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a plane, side and rear view illustrating a rain hat accordingto another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an excavator. The above excavatorcomprises an upper swing structure 101, a lower driving structure 102and a work unit 103. The upper swing structure 101 is equipped withvarious instruments such as an engine room 104 for driving the work unit103 and a driver's seat 105.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an engine and an exhaust apparatusmounted. As shown therein, there are provided an engine 1, an exhaustmanifold 2 for exhausting gas from the engine, a supercharger 3 whichcompresses air with the help of exhaust gas, an exhaust tube path 4which is connected from the supercharger to a muffler, a muffler 5, anda rain hat 7.

FIG. 3 is a view for describing a conventional rain hat. Here, the rainhat is designed to prevent rain from falling into the exhaust tube. Whenthe engine stops, the rain hat closes the outlet of the exhaust tube forthereby preventing rain from falling to the exhaust tube. When theengine works, the rain hat is forced to open by means of the pressure ofexhaust gas for thereby forming a discharge path of exhaust gas. In thedrawing, reference numeral 7 represents a body of a rain hat, and 8 is abracket fixed at the exhaust The rain hat 7 is connected with thebracket 8 by means of a pin 9 and is freely rotatable about the pin.Since the above connection portion directly contacts with exhaust gas,carbon is attached. So, an enough space is obtained during theengagement of the pin 9 so that the rain hat 7 can freely rotate. In theconventional, rattling noises occur in the conventional rain hatstructure.

FIG. 4 is a plane, side and rear view illustrating a rain hat accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The rain hat according to thepresent invention comprises a spoon shaped rain hat plate 11, aconnection part 12 mounted on a lower surface of a protrusion of therain hat plate, an elastic plate 14 of which one longitudinal end isconnected with the connection part with an engaging member 13 such as abolt, etc., and the other end is connected with an exhaust tube 6 withan engaging member such as a bolt, etc., and a fixing terminal 16 whichis engaged at the exhaust tube with a welding method.

FIG. 5 is a view of an operation of FIG. 4. The rain hat 11 is supportedby means of a plate spring 14 which is formed of an elastic plate. Whenthe engine stops, the rain hat 11 covers the upper end of the exhausttube 6 for thereby preventing rain from falling into the exhaust tube.When the engine 1 operates and discharges exhaust gas, the rain hat 11is forced to open by means of the exhaust gas. Here, since the rain hat11 is supported by means of the plate spring 14, the rain hat 11 isforced to open as the plate spring 14 is elastically transformed. Theexhaust gas allows the rain hat 11 to open and is discharged. When theengine 1 stops and does not discharge exhaust gas, the rain hat 14returns its original position by means of the elastic force of the platespring 14. So, when the engine does not work, the rain hat covers theupper end of the exhaust tube 6 for thereby preventing rain from fallinginto the exhaust tube 6. When the discharge force of the exhaust gas isweak, the rain hat keeps opening with a slight open.

In the present invention, since the pin is not used, it is possible toprevent the occurrence of rattling noises which may cause uneasy to anoperator or other persons.

The elastic plate 14 of the rain hat 11 may be formed of a certainelastic material which has elastic force. Since the elastic plate 14contacts with high temperature, it should be preferably made of a heatresistance material.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating force and moment with respect to anoperation principle that the elastic plate moves according to thepresent invention. As shown in the left side of FIG. 6, a dischargepressure of exhaust gas is applied to the rain hat 11. Since dischargepressure is applied to the rain hat, the force may be expressed asF_(y). The rain hat 11 is forced to open by means of the force F_(y).Since the elastic plate 14 is attached to the rain hat 11, the rain hat11 does not open limitlessly. Moment M occurs by means of the arm lengthR and the force F_(y) instead.

M=R•F_(y)

The above moment value may be neglected since the weight of the rain hatis not heavy. So, it is possible to simplify like the right side of FIG.6. The force F_(x) is applied to the elastic plate 14. In this case,since the moment M has the same value,

R•F_(y)=L•F_(x)

∴F_(x)=F_(y)•R/L

Therefore, when discharge pressure is applied to the rain hat 11, theelastic plate 14 opens. Since the force larger than the unit elasticcoefficient of the elastic plate is needed so that the elastic platemoves, the elastic plate 14 opens slightly at first. When the pressureexceeds a certain level, it can easily open. FIG. 7 shoes theabove-described operation. FIG. 7 shows a state that the rain hat 11smoothly moves by means of the elastic plate 14 mounted on the rain hat11.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another structure of the presentinvention. As shown therein, a rain hat plate 21 is provided. A firstconnection part 22 is formed at a lower protruded portion of the rainhat 21. A ring formed at one end of each coil spring 24 a, 24 b isengaged at a corresponding hole 23 a, 23 b formed at both lower sides ofthe first connection part. A bracket 26 is vertically formed at bothends of a channel shaped bracket 26. The ring of other end of the coilspring is horizontally connected with the fixing terminal 25 a, 25 b.The fixing terminal 25 a, 25 b of the coil spring 24 a, 24 b isconnected with the bracket 26 fixed at the exhaust tube 6. When exhaustgas tries to allow the rain hat 21 to open, the coil spring 24 a, 24 bis curved, so that the rain hat 21 opens for allowing the exhaust gas todischarge.

As shown in FIG. 8, when discharge pressure of the exhaust gas isapplied to the rain hat 21, the rain hat 21 is lifted up. Here, since apin is not used for lifting up the rain hat 21 as compared to theconventional art, rattling noises do not occur. When pressure becomesweaker, the rain hat 21 moves down. When no pressure is applied, therain hat 21 is closed for thereby preventing rain from falling into theexhaust tube.

As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to preventrattling noises which occur owing to the movement of a support pin of arain hat. So, an operator or other persons do not feel uneasy.

In addition, an operator's convenience facility is improved. The workefficiency increases by preventing uneasy noises.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described examples are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of theclaims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

1. In a rain hat which is mounted on an exhaust tube of heavyconstruction equipment, a rain hat for heavy construction equipment,comprising: a plate which corresponds to a shape of an outlet of theexhaust tube; a connection part which is formed at one end of the plateand is extended in a downward direction; and an elastic plate of whichone end is connected with the connection part, and the other end isengaged with the exhaust tube, said elastic plate having a certainlength, whereby the outlet of the exhaust tube, which is closed by meansof the plate, opens as a discharge pressure overcomes an elastic forceof the elastic plate when exhaust gas is discharged from the exhausttube.
 2. The rain hat of claim 1, wherein said elastic plate is a platespring.
 3. In a rain hat which is mounted on an exhaust tube of heavyconstruction equipment, a rain hat for heavy construction equipment,comprising: a plate which corresponds to a shape of an outlet of theexhaust tube; a connection part which is formed at one end of the plateand is extended in a downward direction; a pair of coil springs of whichends are connected with both lower sides of the connection part; and abracket which is mounted on the exhaust tube in which the other end ofeach coil spring is horizontally connected, whereby the outlet of theexhaust tube, which is closed by means of the plate, opens as adischarge pressure overcomes an elastic force of the coil spring whenexhaust gas is discharged from the exhaust tube.